Tragedy In Ondo As Man Sets Wife Ablaze, Dies In Fire Over Marital Dispute

A man in the Ijoka area of Akure, Ondo State, has died after setting himself and his estranged wife on fire during a domestic dispute.

Naija News gathered that the incident, which occurred on Friday, left the man dead while his wife is currently receiving treatment for severe burns.

The Punch disclosed that the couple, who had spent 10 years in marriage and had two children, had been living separately due to unresolved marital disputes.

According to the Ondo State Police Command, the man’s drastic action was triggered by his wife’s refusal to reconcile with him.

A police source, who preferred to remain anonymous, disclosed that the man had repeatedly begged his wife to resume their marital relationship, but she declined.

The source said, “The man had been separated from his wife for some time but he had been begging her to end the dispute for them to continue living as husband and wife. However, the wife refused.

“On a fateful day, the deceased invited his estranged wife to his house to pick up an item. When she arrived, he started begging her again. But the wife insisted on not reconciling, which led him to lock the door from the back, pour petrol on both himself and the woman, and set the two of them on fire. He died on the spot.”

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer for the state, Funmilayo Odunlami, stated, “They were married and, along the way, had issues that caused them to stay apart. The deceased asked his wife to come over and collect a wardrobe. When she arrived, he began threatening to kill himself but later locked the door so that both of them would die together.

“Using fuel and a lighter, he set himself and the woman ablaze. He died on the spot, while the woman suffered major burns.”